Canon EOS R review

The Canon EOS R is the first full-frame mirrorless camera to use the new RF mount. It's built around the same 30 megapixel Dual Pixel CMOS sensor as 2016's EOS 5D Mark IV but is designed for a new series of RF lenses. Canon says the shorter RF lens mount will allow them to design better or smaller lenses than they can for the existing EF mount.

With the EOS R, you are, in essence, getting image and video quality from the 5D Mark IV at around the price point of the 6D Mark II with a healthy dose of control philosophy from both of those cameras as well as the EOS M series. Unfortunately, while it's capable of great image quality, handling and ergonomics are a mixed bag and the EOS R's video capabilities lag behind the competition considerably.

The EOS R was announced less than two weeks after Nikon's Z7, which itself is Nikon's first full-frame mirrorless camera and is also designed around a new mount. Where Nikon makes a big deal about how immediately familiar the Z7 will be to existing Nikon shooters, Canon is incorporating some more radical ergonomic innovations on the EOS R - it handles unlike any existing Canon camera. Let's take a closer look at what exactly those innovations are and how they work.

The Canon EOS R is available at a cost of around $2,299 (£2399 in the UK including the EF mount adapter) or $3,399 with the RF 24-105mm F4L IS lens (£3299 in the UK).

What's new and how it compares

The EOS R comes with a lot more than just a new mount. Read about the new features included on the EOS R.

Yup, lots of people complained about the long wait time for the D810 review. If things trickled out like this, it wouldn't have seemed nearly as bad, as at least you'd know the camera wasn't being ignored. Too bad the comments can't be split up per article, though...

Good job the journos don't work on one of the old paper weeklys ....we used to have to do it all pronto and produce the images to demonstrate the copy.This thing has been around for ages and a partial review is almost ready!Seems Chris and Jordan cover the real world usage for video and stills then we get another half baked mini review a week or three later.....?

When will someone say " Can we have a new sensor please to go with a new camera, instead of all and sundry repackaging last Xmas's gift in another box".

I’m not sure about it beating the canon. The raw files don’t beat that out. As we know JPEG output despends heavily on bales in sharpening and other tweaks. Fuji JPEGs are far and away the best, most detailed out there.

the canon , in other words behaves as a an apsc compared to full frame when measured against the sony

as i said equivalence is nonsense ...if it were true these 2 full frame sensors would not exhibit a high iso noise difference claimed for apsc vs ff

equivalence claims to describe the differences between ff to apsc to m43 to `1 inch etc, but if n fact 2 recently manufactured senors of full frame ..are so far apart in noise, at high iso, as to emulate what is claimed in superiority of ff over apsc , well i call bs on the whole endevour

//as i said equivalence is nonsense ...if it were true these 2 full frame sensors would not exhibit a high iso noise difference claimed for apsc vs ff//

@cosinaphile I'm a little confused. Are you saying that all sensors of the same size must perform the same? Because Canon and Sony sensors have different underlying technologies and manufacturing which can easily cause a difference. If sensor size is all that matters, surely everyone would just be picking up used full-frame EOS-1D S cameras for cheap.

clearly Carey when several tech generations have passed large sensor benefits in DR and iso behavior are erased so it would be wise to avoid ancient digital camera in general [ stay away from the first contax digital full frame camera too ........the contax N...lol ]

but here we are considering sensor of a same generation , it seems equivalence isn't as cut and dried as its claimed its used to disparage apsc vs ff with claims of i stop better iso noise or Dr ora 1.8 ff lens is like a 1.4 apsc but what i see is alot of inconsistency in these generalizations ...even the claim of f stop eqivs are questionalble because in fact lenses behave exactly the same no matter the sensor they throw their image on ,moving around your subject provides the "differences" i see fujis apsc at least even with this canon and if vageries of manufacture can erase what is claimed by equivilency , how useful is it really?

Just look at the nearly 4-year-old 5DSR and realize that no current Sony matches it for incredible image detail. The 5DSR is still the benchmark for full frame. Sony's advantage for low-ISO dynamic range is just one part of camera performance.

I expected it to come out the day after the Fuji XT3 announcement. :-) Yeah, I'm a Fuji shooter. Maybe the day after the 50R comes out.... Seriously, they can pick their date now. I'm guessing right before black Friday.

Lots of pros *can* and do shoot with the 5DSR precisely for it's incredible detail. Sony is still lagging ... now 4 years behind Canon in offering users this level of detail. Why is Sony so far behind?

Happens with mirrorless. The sensor is always on, generating heat, which shows up as noise at higher ISO. When people said Nikon could get better output than Sony out of Sony's own sensor, this was the issue instead. Now that Sony keeps its best tech for itself, the gap will open up considerably in Sony's favor. Mirrorless or not.

2k is okayish. Having in mind Sony a7 III is far ahead for 2k ... but after all is not a Canon :) This camera will go down very fast once they release something high end above. So far so good...still this camera is piece of crap :) Crap video, crap af, crap single card slot. People buy Mirrorless cause of the hybrid shooting eye af, video etc. What is the point to make mirrorless whithout mirrorless functions?

I also have great experience with Canon but am less than impressed with their strategy these past few years. Fact is many Sony users are ex Canon users. Why is that? Currently I only own Canon cameras but I am not sure for how much longer.

@Yake: you are talking to people that THINK they can compare...let’s see, Ferrari with Lamborghini, or Clearaudio with SME, and then they say: “one of these is worse!” Total nonsense, ISO 25600 as a bonus. 😂

The Canon EOS R is a full-frame mirrorless camera that both impresses and disappoints. On the plus-side it delivers good-looking photos, has a promising new mount with two exotic lenses at launch, great video autofocus, and the best performance from adapted EF lenses on a mirrorless camera. On the downside, there’s no built-in stabilisation, only a single SD card slot, severely cropped 4k video, modest action shooting capabilities, and lacklustre face and eye-detection - plus those first native lenses don’t exactly make for a compact system. Be under no illusions, if you’re not brand-loyal and are simply looking for the most capable full-frame mirrorless camera around, then the Sony A7 III comfortably out-performs it in almost every regard, has way more native lenses and also does a fair job with adapted EF lenses; it’s slightly cheaper too. If you’re a faithful Canon owner though, the EOS R becomes more compelling and is their best mirrorless camera to date.

You forgot about the best touch screen which is fully articulated, much better LCD quality (I used A9, A7R III and I decided to continue with A7 III so I know Sony's LCD's quite well), better EVF than Sony's, excellent video AF (much better AF-C in video also thanks to articulated touch screen), 12% more resolution (30 vs. 24 MP).No I won't buy this Canon camera but please be fair.

So many opinions and guesses and spec crawling with no experience to back it up. So stupid how people still believe they can judge a camera without using it for some time.

Sony cameras impress and disappoint me as well. Great spec sheets but no way I can handle one without hurting my fingers between lens and grip after a few minutes of use. Nikon Z unfortunately is similar, a bit better though. Canon R is comfortable for me to hold all day long. That is all I need to know because that is a minimum requirement for me to actually take a camera with me.

Cannot complain about the R sensor either. Works great for lots of professionals on the 5D IV, so it is surely good enough for me.

Last session with the R ended after about 800 shots on a single battery. I leave it to others to worry for me because I don‘t.

IIRC Canon has patents for teleconverters with image stabilisation, they just have not used them yet as they made more money from in lens IS. Their teleconverter patents presumably stopped competitors from releasing them and spoiling the market.

It would be interesting to see an EF RF adapter with built-in IS. But it would be even more interesting to see IBIS / lens hybrid IS. Canon have already hinted at such developments in Canon R video specs, as it uses in--body sensors (I think) with IS lenses like the rf 35mm, according to that lens' web page.

No focus adjustment necessary, or possible. The AF sensor IS the imaging sensor, so there's no way it can't be in perfect alignment. Focus issues are firmware related. Sony had this problem with one lens on release, and it was fixed in firmware.

if theres one solid reason i would go mirrorless, this is it. Even for renting bodies, the death of amfa cant come soon enough. HAAAAAATTTEEEE AMFA. with a burning passion of 4 suns in a universe of pure magma fire.

Can't wait to use vintage glass on this Canon body! And people complaining about lack of IBIS, well did you know that canon has digital IS that combined with lens IS results in almost gymbal like smoothness in video? They had this in the M6 and M50. Sony's IBIS no matter how many stops they claim, it does not compare to Olympus IBIS and not any better than Canon combined IS. And who else has a 50mm 1.2 with such sharpness and weathersealing? They have the best glass, period, and a weathersealed adapter that works with all EF and EFS lenses. All is well implemented. Its a good addition in the market, and capitalism always wins, we shouldn't complain about more options, if this body is not for you, by all means get a Sony or a Nikon Z, and we'll see how many people will still try to adapt Canon glass to those MILC bodies.

Agree, its all about the glass, this design frees lens designers of all the problems the mirror box creates, as obviously stated in the short focal lengths, all this talk about the buttons - sounds more like a human problem being habituated to clumsier controls, reminds me of when i switched from nikon the canon took me forever to stop twisting the lens off in the wrong direction. Got to give any device a chance for the human to adapt to it and not the other way around instantly. Learn the controls adapt your handling to the device. I love the IS / IBIS combo concept that will be in the R II - imagine shooting in low light with a fast lens = no tripod required opens up new photo opportunitiesCanon 5Ds R and Sony A7R III shooter, Canon 11-24, Voightlander 10mm E mount favorite lens

@frankphoto2 Nice setup, had to give up my sony system when I got married (A7II with lots of vintage glass, only remaining one is the rokkor 58mm 1.2, but really miss the Helios 85mm 1.5 bokeh monster). Still cant remember how the wifee convinced me to do this, but pretty happy with my 5D IV (50L being my favorite lens, with all its flaws, its a great portrait lens).

"did you know that canon has digital IS that combined with lens IS results in almost gymbal like smoothness in video?"

But only in video. And digital IS is not as good as true physical IS because digital IS requires a crop.

"Sony's IBIS no matter how many stops they claim, it does not compare to Olympus IBIS"

Sony's 5-axis IBIS is based on Olympus' 5-axis IBIS. It was an exchange of technology from the time Sony invested 50 billion yen, or $645 million, into Olympus to become majority shareholder in 2012. Sony put the 5-axis IBIS technology into the A7II in 2014. Then Sony sold off half its share of their Olympus stake in 2015.

I agree with your points, but there are quite a few videos online and from my experience as well from owning an Olympus OMD EM5 II and A7 II, the IBIS from Sony is not quite as good as the ones from Olympus and Panasonic, i'm sure it has something to do with the smaller sensor (hence the need for Canon to crop digital IS, easier to process maybe). I've been toying with the EOS R and the 24-105 kit lens (only native lens available for it) and the video quality is stellar, with combination IS is as good as the IBIS in the Olympus from what I can tell.

I know you can use vintage glass on almost all MILC bodies, but Canon has beautiful colors straight out of the camera, and the EVF is pretty nice as well (better that Sony A7R III - one of the main issues with Sony is always having a different color scheme on the back LCD screen and OLED EVF, it was quite annoying. Canon does much better in this regard, the EVF is quite accurate. I'm enjoying the EOS R, but its not replacing my 5D IV.

This is a great camera, pple should not complain as much. For $2300 it's a direct competitor to Nikon Z6 and Sony A7III. VS Z6, the Canon wins in lens selection and color science (you can go back and forth on this all you want, Canon does trump all others in color science, one of the main reasons people stay with Canon, we know it's got an "inferior" sensor according to extreme tests, but who uses their cameras in such extreme tests, learn to add light). The Z6 has image stabilization and much better video recording formats and no crop, we all agree on this, just like the A7III, but the Z6 lacks the lenses and DPAF which is just soo good and soo easy to use on all the latest Canon cameras. Also, the A7III has a smaller and lower res screen and EVF which makes a big difference when shooting. The Canon also has an articulating screen, which IS A BIG DEAL (very very practical).

Still they can only show half the stars in the sky, have a subpar EVF, have no flipout screen, are limited to 24MP, have video AF issues, have no grip for all fingers of the right hand and do not run my EF lenses acceptably. And finally, larger lenses make my knuckles hurt.

While I am not a fan of EVF and the battery performance, the single card slot and lack of in camera image stabilisation are a disappointment, I would have to say that the performance of the camera is very good. Hopefully Canon will move on as they did when they introduced the EOS system and the second camera will be the one to go for. At present the 'R' doesn't offer an alternative to my 5D IV.

If you read any other new review on DP, there is a calculated and succinct devotion to the pros and cons of a camera, this felt more like a series of emotional platitudes. Get back to your roots DPReview.

I don't really understand the hate that this camera is getting. In the couple of days I've had the EOS R, I've really enjoyed it.

I've own(ed) several Sonys (a6000, A7II, A7RII, A9) and while they're great, high tech cameras, they aren't without fault, even several generations in:

1. Why don't all Sony cameras have dual top dials like the A9?2. Where's the weather sealing?3. Can we get a new body design with a grip that's actually comfortable?4. (Yes, I know I can work on them in post but) why can't the colors look good SOOC?5. Why does the paint rub off if you look at it wrong?6. I want a fully articulated screen.7. There are two card slots but why is only one UHS-II?

Yes, Sony cameras are great from a tech perspective, but they are not perfect. Sony continues to make the same dumb, seemingly easy to fix mistakes on their cameras over and over again.

Rather than waste time bashing other manufacturers, find the camera YOU enjoy using and go take photos with it.

uhh because for some of us colour is the mundane spec, we can easily manipulate them effortless in PP. I have tried a blind test for some photographers, most of them can't pinpoint which images produced by which manufactures, pretty interesting.

It's not that simple. You move some sliders left or right and that's it. NO! Color science is way more complicated than most of people think. That is main reason why Canon still is No.1 manufacturer in the world even if then not super-tech company. That's a fact guys. When Sony or Fuji or Nikon become first come here and tell us that. ;) Until that... well... you know ;)

Since when do we have to choose between photography and videography? My experience is that many pros indulge in both. In the past they would generally have different cams for each but if (as is the case today) a pro can use one camera for both disciplines then why not! Btw, I am a pro and I use Sony A9 and A6500 for both photography and videos! However, I do like many of the features of the EOS-R and will probably give it a serious look in the next gen.

I am Canon and Pentax user. I felt that Canon always expensive and always miss something. Considering a FF mirror less cameras to replace old DSLRs.In Canon EOS R I see following drawbacks 1. (heavily cropped) 4K video, 2. M-Fn Bar. 3. You have to Buy IS lenses. If you want stabilization. Specially for low light shooting.

For Sony A III1. Body - your will have pain in hand after holding 1 hour.2. Somewhere read that battery compartment is not whether sealed. Water vcan go in.3. Not sure about color of pictures. I like Pentax and Canon colors.4. Only Sony lenses can give you best results. Sony wrote in their site somewhere.

After spending 3K+ ( Camera and Lens) you get product with above drawbacks, it hurts average Joe like me. I feel that camera companies should have recall of their products as Car companies do. For Example replace M-Fn Bar. or If can be fixed by firmware upgrade.

If you place the camera in a puddle of water, then maybe yes. I don't know about you, but I don't do that.

"3. Not sure about color of pictures. I like Pentax and Canon colors."

Bring the RAW file into Lightroom, Camera Raw, or Capture One and adjust to your taste.

"4. Only Sony lenses can give you best results. Sony wrote in their site somewhere."

I'm not sure what you're referring to, but I think you're talking about native lenses vs adapted lenses. From most user reports, adapters work just fine for non-Sony lenses. That may have been somewhat true on earlier models, but the issues were more related to speed of focusing and focus tracking. That problem seems to have been resolved.

Fortunately, all of those concerns can likely be addressed via firmware. But something that can't be fixed so easily is the lack of weather-sealing on the battery door, which concerns me when it comes to the longevity of this camera – I'd hate to recommend a product that might fail due to a little water. Adding to my concerns, our pals over at Imaging Resource ran a sort-of-scientific test looking at the weather sealing on high-end cameras, including the a7R III. The results were, to put it lightly, not encouraging for Sony cameras.

My Olympus has had rain dripping off of it. I'm sure it's been in a puddle. Not on purpose, but I did buy it partly for its weather sealing. Any two grand camera body which advertises weather sealing yet fills with corrosion after being set in the condensation from a tall drink on a warm day, should be recalled.

@MILC manwith all these "ancient" cameras Canon is still No1. manufacturer in the world ;) Problem is that you obviously not happy with your current gear. That's why u come in other brand reviews to bash other cameras. Unfortunately that won't make u a better photographer. I am happy with my ancient 6D not because it is best camera but because I know how to use it. I am sure that I'll be much happier with this R. It's great camera in every aspect which is important for me. Cheers to you.

Canon licensing Sony sensors and some of their tech (as does Nikon) is the most likely I'd say. If the R is, as some think, all Canon could throw at this time (and not a feature-limited subset of what they'll throw in a pro model next year) then it's likely that they'll never catch up if they don't borrow some tech.

@Ghost - why pay for a new camera? Only if you want more resolution, better autofocus, less noise at high ISO, better DR, higher FPS. Personally I need all that because I shoot night sports, but there are a lot of people who don't actually need all those things, they just want to claim that they do.

Wow! Why is everyone so unimpressed with Canon’s entry level FF Mirrorless camera. We already know there will be a Pro version sometime in the next few months. If you don’t like the low specs of this one just wait for the pro body FF Mirrorless. No one if forcing anyone to buy this model. If you’re a 1Dx shooter or even a 5D, do you complain about the 6D specs?... I hardly think so, you get the Pro body because you need the specs.

People mainly have problems about1) price/performance ratio2) doubts on Canon being able to raise the tech bar in the future, e.g. sensor readout speed and performance per watt of their data processing chain.

I'm afraid I don't. I do however remember looking at the original 6D when it came out, but ended up going for the 5D3 at the time because it had the more advanced AF, better ergonomics and dual card slots. Yes I wished the 6D had the same features as the 5D3 at the time. But it didn't, so I had to pony up the money because I wanted those features. I still have the 5D3 and get great results from it.

That's kinda the thing though, DominikT. The R's ergonomics are embarrassingly bad. The R's ergos are more like a T6i's than a 6D2's, let alone a 5D's. For $2,300.

And the R is receiving justified criticism as it is the camera that is the subject of this article, not its hypothetical successor or sister.

Sony blew it for photographers when they set the $2,000ish entry point to FF mirrorless bodies. Now other camera companies feel they can put out cameras that are more like beta versions for testing, that obviously leave serious/pro photographers waiting for a successor before the new "betas" are even released, for at least $2,000.

If the R was selling for $1,200, I'd still laugh at it and never buy one, but I could see some value there. At double that price, well... ;)

"Unimpressed" is more like "sad" to me. I am a long time Canon shooter and it's been an excruciating wait for them to catch up to the photography and videography *I want to do*. The EOS R doesn't even come close -in fact, it's a step backward for anyone who keeps pace with Canon's release cycle.The worst part about it: Canon has had YEARS to make the EOS R better than simply a mirrorless version of the 5D4 and, yet, somehow they made it worse. Their only real body advantages, DPAF and color science, have been nearly erased by most of their direct competitors (and at cheaper price-points, to boot). The new glass is amazing, yes, and the RF mount is intriguing but it doesn't matter if the sensor and processor can't make a better image than the already-lacking image of my previous Canons.I've been waiting for a Canon Pro body with the right specs since the 5D2 -it doesn't look like it's coming.

2 Chris GibbsI wouldn't be too excited about 50/1.2 and especially 28-70/2.0 lenses. Remember the fate of EF50/1.0L and EF1200/5.6L, both of which appeared too impractical for keeping in production. The super-expensive "collector's toys" attract the attention to a new camera system, but they are not its backbone, neither they are reasonable for mortal photographers.

"I've been waiting for a Canon Pro body with the right specs since the 5D2 -it doesn't look like it's coming." "Canon even hasn't tried to compete with modern cameras." It is called "Canon EOS 5D mark IV" in Canon land and yes, it is a fantastic modern camera indeed. Then anybody may keep its ideas and convinctions.

The major disappointment for me is the sensor. The lenses are without any doubt superb, the handling might be Canon-like superb. AF might be superb.But it seems that there is no progress in sensor technology. It is no better than the years-old 5div sensor, while others make huge steps here :(.So I am hoping for the "pro" Version. But when the R is already THAT expensive, I don't want to know how expensive the pro version will be...

I guess one could compare Canon to Apple. Their iPhones and Laptops are more pricy and they got rid of a lot of features that a lot of us creatives use (ie ports, SD card slots) Yet the iPhone is still the most popular smartphone and people are still buying them, even though there are a lot of other more capable and less expensive Android options.

voronspb I know a lot of pros that still have the EF 50 1.2L in their kit bag and use it, but have been waiting for a upgrade that can compete with Sigma and Zeiss. So yes it might cost a bit, but if you need it for a wedding gig or event, you'll get one.

@DominikTI can kind-of buy that comparison but the big difference is Apple is still innovating in other places. They're capitalizing on and improving their advantages (ecosystem, security, etc...) even though they've made other decisions that frustrate non-writer Professional users.Canon's bodies are now resting on the laurels of an autofocus system introduced with the 70D that, while quite good, is now nearly equaled or surpassed by Sony, Fuji, and Nikon.The EOS R brings nothing new to the table except a new mount and more expensive glass and spending more on focal lengths I have well-covered is not what I consider innovation.

DominikT The EF50/1.2L is quite a reasonable lens in comparison to 50/1.0L. Note: on launch its MSRP was 1600$, not 2.3K. Nevertheless I suspect that RF50/1.2L will have some niche market share among the pros and rich enthusiasts. As for RF28-70/2.0L, I see it only as "yes we can!" collector's lens, the rough equivalent to 50/1.0L. I don't really count it as a part of system, it's somewhere beyond the needs and wallets of mortal photographers.

I get where you're coming from, I also invested in Canon L glass and I'm in no hurry to buy all new lenses again. I think we need to look at the bigger picture. Canon has always been about the lenses first. And this is early days for the new mount. Cameras will come and go, but the lenses (hopefully) will last for many years. As our EF lenses did, and still will (with the adaptors)

@ jpleongIt's basically between Canon and Sony. Nikon, Fuji (and possibly others) use Sony sensors. So it's a two horse race and Sony is winning the sensor war, there is no denying that. however, I still think Canon have been on top with their Lenses (even the more expensive Sony/Zeiss glass can't match it) DPAF is still the best out there, especially in the Cinema line of cameras (Sony, Panasonic don't come close in the cinema AF department) And then there's colour science. (yes I know it's been beaten to death) but it can't be denied, both for still and video, Canon footage is much easier to grade.

It's fun to bash on Canon to justify their purchase or switching over to another brand. They can't comprehend even though it's limiting, it still a great choice for many photographers who have different needs than them who may want ergonomics, color science, great adapted lens EF, etc.

I tried A7III, A9, A7RIII and found the ergonomic, EVF to be subpar. This camera isn't for me, but neither does Sony. I'll wait for the next version of Sony and Canon with less compromises.

It seems there are photographers whose photography is inadequate to serve their ego needs. These photographers compensate by becoming ego-attached to their equipment choices, spending a great deal of time stalking the forums for issues to argue about that are distractions from actual photography.

The trouble is, lots of discussions are triggered from customer buying psycho (comparing products side by side based on a list of feature checks), completely irrelevant to actual practical use. On the other hand, some important questions are completely ignored. New camera models means, potential issues with color management, flash light interoperability, potential issues with adapting lenses especially with a new lens mount, availability of lenses that cover common use cases, are features easily accessible, ease of handling etc etc. Buying a camera is not without risks: it is seldom easy to try a camera for a week or two to figure it out, information is mostly incomplete, customer support nearly non-existent relative to complexity of ILC systems, and reviews are missing most of the essential things to check.

The camera industry sector seems to be vastly disorganized and selling electronic devices at relatively high prices and with less after sales support than for any other non camera product of the same price range.

No offense, but I'm griping so heavily about this camera as a way to chastise such an otherwise superb camera company as Canon for insulting the marketplace with such a disgrace of a camera at this price point. And for wasting their time on the R when it is obviously very easy for Canon to incorporate FAR superior ergonomics into a body. They've been doing so for quite sometime now.

Canon reads DPR and/or gets feedback from DPR. So I'm giving them some feedback. The R's IQ is irrelevant when its ergos are as bad as 1st-gen Sony FF alphas. At least the R will have Canon's DSLR Menu or something really similar though.

I see people stuck in the Canon brand calling this thing "solid". What's exactly solid about this camera? Everything about it is last in it's class. Even the ergonomics are bad according to people who have held it. What exactly makes this camera not one of the worst dollar-for-dollar cameras ever released?

If Sony came out with a camera like this, it would be laughed off DPR.

Canon seems to segment their products as if they were a lifestyle brand like Apple. Difference is Apple creates well thought out innovative products. Canon seems to succeed solely due to older professionals who have $35,000 invested in canon lenses.

For start - EOS R have best EVF. That small thing which I tried on Sony a7III and a9 keeps me on long distance from any MILC system. It's seems that time is over and I thinking about R like natural and logical upgrade from my 6D. Whatever... what's wrong with this system??? Sensor from 5DmkIV which is excellent with newest Digic processor = great!Very solid burst - okay. Majority of shooters don't need extremely high burst rate.Dual AF system - world best AF systemNew RF opticsAnd of course Canon color science which by far better than Sony's or Nikon's.ALL THAT on lowest price in class!!

So come on guys, stay in your bellowed brands, be happy and give us a brake ;)

My sony better than your canon, ha ha ha ha ha, canon been around making camera alot longer than sony and the a9 ya it got wet so it became a door stop,and the the a7 III YA it uses the a7 Ii sensor, i had sony product from the 70s 80s and 90s and they all suck,sony trys to be number one using dollar store parts...oh and sony cant fix the a9 guess i shouldn't use it when the dew is thick, but yet my canon just keeps on going

The EVF on my Sony A7RIII has the same resolution as the Canon R. It is great for using vintage or any manual focus lenses. Having EVF magnification, focus peaking, and IBIS is great for these lenses.

People keep talking about color science when they mean color preference. Show me a test of color accuracy using ISO standard tests and then you can mention color science all you want.

Why not have high burst rates? It is like saying you don't need fast AF.

What are "bellowed brands"?

I was with Canon for 46 years. I kept waiting for their FF mirrorless camera. I finally gave up. I am glad I didn't wait. I hope for the best for Canon. I also hope for the best for those who are stuck with the brand.

Mirrorless cameras have some nice advantages for certain photographers. Every photographer doesn't need a mirrorless but for those of us who do having a state-of-the-art one is great fun.

@MILC man don't give your self too much freedom to judge what I tried and what I did not. You don't know that as you don't know many other things, obviously. I don't talking about black out. R EVF have much more resolution than Sony's. For me biggest issue is resolution not 60Hz refresh rate. For me!! For you, don't know and guess what - don't care. Okay? Please go troll on other place.

@84stangmanyes but with less resolution. In full resolution 60Hz. But according to first reviews EOS R generally have best EVF. I do not know because I have not tried it yet. However, EOS R is great package.Eye tracking AF in Sony is currently better because working in continuous mode but Canon will solve that with next firmware. No problem. But generally Sony AF is not better than Dual Pixel AF. Colors... I am ex Nikon user. Sony and Nikon can't match Canon output especially in hard lighting conditions with mixed sun and artificial light. No way. Video crop... come on guys... :)

The EOS R EVF is immensely superior to the A7RIII one, don't let the spec numbers fool you into thinking they're the same, they're not. The EOS R is MUCH more "uniform" in edge-to-edge resolution, has a noticeably brighter view, a more natural colour/noise response, and it never goes into drop-quality modes like the Sony does even when you press record at 4K.

Great review! Thanks for all the hard work on this.May I ask if you guys have had the opportunity (or even capability where you are based) to test the input controls with gloves on in cold weather?The reason I ask is that one of the things that I valued with my 1dxii, xt2 is the ability to use them with gloves on in sub zero temperatures. That new mf-n control looks like it is fully capacitive so I'm not sure how well it would fare for a photographer in a Canadian winter! Likewise the touchscreen control. I love the touch and drag capability, I just wish Canon had augmented with a mini joystick. Maybe a true 5div and 1dxii mirrorless equivalents are incoming to address???

Everything is half-baked nowadays because everyone is rushing and we consumers are inpatients. It will sell for sure, it has got innovative sides. We shall see and I shall form my opinion after I have used it.

It's nice to see that we have more choices for a FF Mirrorless Camera now. IMO, this Canon EOS R is a signal to other brands to level up their camera models. This Camera have a lot to offer and also lack of some features as I expected. You can not get a Camera with all features that is on your list. That's why Canon made the right choice, which features they can offer, and with their full list of Glass full compatibility, plus more awesome great native lenses. This is 1-step forward for Mirroless Camera. Looking forward to test this new Camera. Good work Canon and DPR..

Don't forget the soft video which eliminates the need for retouching! All blemishes and fine, unattractive details are softened out, out of the camera. Also it has the genius technology called electronic image stabilization for video, which eliminates all moving parts!

I... can't believe... I'm saying this... but I agree with MILC man! :D Heheheh, jk, MILCy. ;) But the Canon R really is a disgrace to the MILC market.

RF lenses are likely superb, though kinda silly how their initial release includes such overblown (i.e. F1.2, 28mm (instead of 24mm) to 70mm F2.0 zoom without stabilization) statement lenses rather than just more really good lenses that most serious photographers can afford and use all the time.

Awesome camera, great specs, great price. I will not be buying this camera. I will rather give my money to brands that I know will be innovative today and tomorrow. Pushing limits to the max. In 2017 this camera would have destroyed the market. We are entering 2019, how can we be sure new technology is around the corner? Will it take canon and Nikon another 4 years to catch up?

Canon camera does a lot better job for portrait than Sony does I admit it. My Nex 7 was terrible with over saturated skin tone, but with A7 I have now is improved but its nowhere as close as Canon I previously had like 7D the last camera had better with skin tone. Sony is better with landscape yes but not good with portrait and not as good as Canon in low light high ISO especially FF due to blotch of noise but it gradually improved from A7 series II onward especially after A7RII. It takes years for mirrorless camera to improve. The real problem is RF mount is so different to EF mount, I think it will take years for Canon to improve on mirrorless Im afraid. I believed that AF accuracy from Canon still beat Sony anydays.

bayindirh I am not dumping Sony though cos its too expensive to change from this back to Canon. I am keeping best lens from Sony I have ever had with razor sharps image. It just for my interest I am surprised to see Canon jump it to mirrorless all of sudden though. A7III is still on my wish list for upgrade.

I switched to Sony camp with A7III, so I don't know Sony's past, however I'm pleasantly surprised by the color reproduction of it.

Switching systems, esp. if you have higher end lenses, becomes prohibitively expensive as you acquire more gear. Canon's DPAF should be "at least" compete with A7III, but it seems there's a bottleneck somewhere in the data/computation part.

As the cameras rely on sensor data and embedded PDAF/DPAF systems more, the capabilities and power of the processors will be increasingly important. As we can see, Fuji's XT3 and Sony A7III has the best eye / object tracking grunt under their skins (A9 is a different class, hence I omitted it knowingly).

Canon's and Nikon's further efforts should focus on data processing pipelines before taking a photo, because they're inexperienced in that regard. Color science is a "solved" problem for them. Sony is a computational behemoth in comparison, but they lacked the color science knowledge; until now.

The EOS R lacks two card slots, IBIS, BSI Sensor, high speed FPS, proper EYE AF, proper controls, but hey they can argue their "opinion" on color science. Ergonomics and color science is equal across brands, they are no longer a determining factor.

If a color science is no differentiating factor, then nothing is. We've got a 5DIV and before that, 70D and that is what we do our business with. Would IBIS be better? Maybe so, but we've got stabilised lens. Eye Focus? Ditto. Man, if you are unable to do good to excellent photos with mostly any gear nowadays, you should find another job or a hobby, and that's just it ....

These results will never come close to accurate monitor profile for example. Colour checker do not have enough colour square to calibrate your camera properly. It needs to have a lot of patch of colours to calibrate your camera correctly. Unfortunately its not happening.

@naththo, however starting with better colors will always result with a lower overall color delta.

This is not about "calibration" of the camera sensor. It's already calibrated out of the factory. Out of the box, you get better colors with these cameras in descending order. So your print/screen calibration is simplified too.

As a Sony A7 III user i must admit that some specs of the Canon EOS R make me droll over: fantastic EVF, better articulated LCD screen (the LCD on the A7 III is just a joke on a 2000$ body), 10bit video out but when it comes to burst rate is a different story. Sony a7III slowed down by the button input lag and writing speed (the UHS I slot make backup task so slow when you shot duo card). And one thing i always confuse: WTH Sony is doing with the port input covers with their camera, it so flimsy and loose, a 400$ Canon 100D do better than this. I don't know whether the EOS R is a successful product of Canon, but now its is very success at grabbing all your attention (INCLUDED ME ) LOL 😂😂😂

The battery life issue alone is enough to get me to say "no." 370 hours vs. 1200 hours. That's aside from EVFs ruining one's night vision at night, and being washed out in sunlight.

But photography attracts all kinds of shooters. I'm sure there will be plenty of buyers.

Personally, I'm still holding out for a 6D mk3 upgrade; they could, theoretically speaking, get me to buy the same way they did the original 6D: better low light performance at a reasonable price. A mark they noticeably missed with the mk2.

Barring that, I'll probably stick with this 6D, or a replacement 6D mk1 from NOS or even EBay if NOS is not available should this camera go nipples north before an attractive upgrade comes out. AFAIAC, the 6Dmk1 remains "the sweet spot" for price/performance. It'll only get more so with used/NOS pricing.

evf can't by definition "wash out in sunlight", because it is shielded by the eyecup... if light is bleeding in around the eyecup, or you are one of those poor saps who likes to wear glasses while shooting, get an aftermarket eyecup; they are much bigger, softer, and really cheap.

can't put an eyecup over the rear lcd on a dslr, it always washes out in bright light... major fail.

somehow we aren't surprised to see that you like your 6d, lol, you probably drive a model a roadster as well.

I'm still trying to figure out the benefits of "ANY" mirrorless camera over a mirrored one ?Mirrorless cameras are a huge plus "for the manufacturers"... easier / cheaper to produce, and so a higher profit margin. But for the photographer, nearly worthless.

> I'm still trying to figure out the benefits of "ANY" mirrorless camera over a mirrored one ?

Oh, that's easy. It's considerably cheaper to build, and these designs will wear out your batteries 3x as fast as compared to a camera where you preferentially use (can use) the OVF, so you'll spend more there. Totally worth it.

Oh, wait, you probably meant benefits for _you_ ...ummm... no. A camera with **both** EVF and OVF is much better for the shooter. The OVF is much better in both sunlight and the night time (presuming you actually want to preserve your night vision.) The EVF has its occasional uses as well.

I'll never buy another DSLR. The focus coverage (across the entire frame), face/eye AF tracking, WYSIWYG viewfinder, live histogram in the viewfinder, etc. are all things that I miss too much whenever I pick up my DSLR (from time to time). I rarely ever do focus-lock-recompose anymore, which I use to do all the time with my DSLR, especially for people photography. Now with my mirrorless cameras, the camera just locks onto the person's face or eyes and holds focus on it wherever the person moves within the frame, even out to the edges. Try doing this with a DSLR:

The other advantage for me is that I like setting my EVF to black-and-white viewing mode. I love seeing the world in black and white. It helps with composition because it allows me to see the world more abstractly. I see shapes, lines, patterns better. That has truly helped me be a better photographer. OVF can't do that.

@Iloveaircraftnoise - It's not about having the camera do everything for you. It's about freeing the photographer up to concentrate on other aspects of photography, such as composition, capturing the decisive moment, etc. rather than flying blind with exposure, or doing a lot of tedious focus-lock-recompose, or getting reject shots because the subject's eyes were out of focus-- shots that might have otherwise been the perfect shot!

I guess the price does sort of make it proportional to its competition. It's got an older sensor and a smaller pixel count, but it still $1000 less than the Nikon Z7. But the Z7 and Z6 uses more modern sensors (designed in the last 2 years probably). Granted MP count isn't everything, but when technology advances, and your competitors (mainly Nikon and Sony) have high-res sensors out there you're sort of being left behind. There are some advantages to a lower pixel count in some cases (ie. bigger pixels and potentially better low light peformance) but at the same time, noise reduction has gotten quite good for may of the curent high-res cameras.

So I think Canon sort of shot themselves in the foot, or felt the pressure to release SOMETHING as this sounds a little half-baked to me. The Nikon is in a similar boat ,but for different reasons.

However, I will say this though... yes Sony is years ahead of Nikon and Canon, but keep in mind that this is the FIRST ML that Nikon and Canon have released. Sony has had about 5 years and 3 revisions to perfect their designs. Very few people get things 100% right out the door. I'm sure if you went back and looked at the Sony system five years ago, you could say the same thing (when comparing to DSLRs of the time). Give Nikon and Canon some time (like a year or two) and I'm sure we will have some healthy competition in the FF ML market.

And I've sort of given up on being a fan of a paticular brand (although I still have all my Nikon gear) and had told myself that if Nikon flops (or the z-series flops) I'd seriously consider Canon or Sony as alternatives. People just need to give Canon and Nikon a little bit to get up and going. They are venturing into new territory they haven't been in, and one that sony has been in for the past 3-4 years.

@ sirhawkeye64 "And I've sort of given up on being a fan of a paticular brand" this is exactly what I think. In fact, I changed from Nikon to Canon when Canon was technologically leading the DSLR market (but still have access to an extended Nikon gear). Today, the nice thing about many mirrorless system cameras is that you can adapt other brand's lenses, including vintage lenses, so you have much more freedom to change camera brands.

A digital camera is only a fast-lifecycle product anyway, no need to keep the brand written on it in mind. If I want to really feel love and affection for a camera and its brand, I get one of my vintage film cameras (Canon, Kodak Retina, Mamiya, Nikon) and go out shooting.

The main problem of Sony A7/A9 series cameras is that they're easy to buy, great on paper, but a pain to use. I would use a Canon or Nikon DSLR any day of the week for any photography task over an A7R3. Great sensors aren't everything, especially when modern sensors are excellent, and the shortcomings are most often, well, everything else, including me, the photographer.

True it's maybe not Nikon's "first" attempt, but the NIkon 1 goes back several years, so it's very close to new territory for Nikon. Yes they could have built on their knowledge of the Nikon 1 (and they probably did) but as mentioned, nobody gets things 100% right out the door. Just look at Sony and Canon's current offerings (Canon's APS-C offersing, and all of Sony's offerings... we're on Gen 3 of most Sony bodies, and Rev 2 or 3 on some of the Canon options).

I have having great joy in using my A7RIII. I added a RRS bottom plate so my little finger has a place to rest. I added a Zeiss Batis 25mm, a Samyang 35mm, and the Sony 85mm f/1.8. They are all very sharp and light weight. Each is a great walk-around lens.

My next lens will be the Sony GM 100-400mm zoom. Then I will look at something wider than 20mm and I will be set. I will be spending my money on travel and not equipment.

Great sensors are great. Unless you have shot with one in different conditions it may be too soon to talk.

When numbers and facts all line up against Canon fans they fall back on ‘opinion’. For example:

“In my opinion the ergonomics of the Canon are far superior…” well in my opinion they are not. I don’t want to carry around something that is needlessly twice the volume and 50% more weight. I value portability and not looking like a tourist.

The User Interface or menu system of the Canon is far superior. Read into this “I’m incapable of learning anything new”. An Olympus and Sony have a FN button that allows you to quickly access the defaults of your favourite 12+ settings. Sony’s have a menu system that allows you to change practically every single characteristic of your camera - with the exception of its weight ! That’s called flexibility, but to people incapable of learning something new, it’s called complicated.

The “colour science of the Canon is superior” - add the word science to your sentence to try and give it an air of credibility, make it sound like a fact - more rubbish.

And while I'm on the topic... when all else fails make grand gesture comments:- “Mirrorless technology will never take off”, if I had a $ for every time I’ve seen that one, I’d buy Apple - or “EVFs will never be as good as optical viewfinders”, proven to be false (+ WYSIWG, Zebra, Focus peaking...) - or “mirrorless focussing system will never be as good as DSLRs“, just look at the Sony A9 (+ Eye autofocus...) - or “Wait until Canon enter the mirrorless market, it will eat the competition”, like others have said here, they arrived with too little, too late - or …

The first step in recovery is to accept you have a problem, and in this case it is called Post Purchase Cognitive Dissonance. For those who find it difficult coping with another camera manufacturer’s menu system, let me explain: not wanting to admit you may have made a bad purchase.

And in any case the most important photographic investment anyone can make is in their own skills, not loyalty to a brand.

Canon playing with fire. They have given a strong signal to their users, that Canon is not the camera maker to stick with. Should they not be serious with their next camera, it will hurt them a lot in a long run and they have to take a seat on the bench with Pentax.

Canon imaging business model is different to Pentax. Please do a bit more research before posting. This market they're playing now is going to be overly saturated and become irrelevant in the future, it'll more like a hobby for them.

@BlinkNot - But how many people are actually going to buy these huge, expensive ($2300 and $3000) behemoths? These are niche lenses, much like the 50/1.0L Canon made when they started the EOS system. It was something for them to brag about, but not many people bought that lens. The same will ultimately be true of the RF 50/1.2L and 28-70/2L. Heck, Canon already has the EF 50/1.2L for a lot cheaper ($1349), and that's not exactly a big seller either! So for people to suddenly say that the $2300, 2.1lb RF 50/1.2L and the $3000, 3.2lb 28-70/2L are going to make a big impact in the market are just fooling themselves.

Of course they are niche, and so is FF.. and i believe people who can afford FF can afford to buy these lenses as well..they know what they are getting in to. These two are just part of the choices.. that only the canon system has for now. it's not that every RF lenses which will come out in the future would be behemoths and ultra expensive. They are showing off these lenses early to tell people what they can do with this mount. That 35mm 1.8 IS is cheap, sharp and has macro too, for example.

Bragging rights is also one thing that the canon brand has over competition.. it is an intangible thing that influence a lot of people.

@BlinkNot - Yes, they are show-off lenses, but that's it. People shouldn't be citing these lenses as significant game changers. They are not. And frankly, I think they are a waste of resources. I think most users would much rather have had Canon develop IBIS and eye AF that works in continues mode, or a faster, more efficient processors that gives better battery life. These lenses are like the upcoming Nikon 58/0.95 S Noct, a ridiculously large and expensive lens that almost no one will buy. And the lens doesn't have have autofocus. What a waste of resources, time and energy.

@Vignes - Yes, their "old" zooms used that range. Every OEM 28-70 zoom went to 24-70 years ago. So 28-70 is definitely not a "common" range anymore. Canon discontinued their last 28-70/2.8 back in 2002! The Tamron 28-75/2.8 starts at 28mm, but a lot of people wish it started at 24mm. But it's a compromise they are willing to make because it's so cheap and light ($799 and only 550g).

The reality is that a 3.2lb $3000 28-70 zoom is never going to be a "common" lens by any stretch of the imagination. It will be a niche lens. Let's see how well the RF 28-70/2L does as soon as Canon introduces an RF 24-70/2.8L which will likely be lighter, cheaper, smaller, start at 24mm, and may even have IS.

@BlinkNot A couple of outstanding lenses don't make the system, they are made just for attracting the others' attention. Remember the outstanding EF50/1.0L and EF1200/5.6L lenses which were discontinued quite soon after release and replaced by a lot more earthly options.

In mass, neither professional photographers nor amateurs are interested in purchasing $5000 worth of collector's toys. Imaginary 800-dollar RF50/1.8L IS lens would outsell the RF50/1.2 by 100:1.

@voronspb i didn't say a couple of lenses make a system, did i? and which system, digital or not, launches a new mount with 10 or more new lenses already? (everybody suddenly forgets about EF lenses) anyway..so these lenses are, according to you, were just made to attract people's attention? then IMO these lenses are doing a fine job at it. ;-)

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